Pro Football Hall of Fame Class of 2024: Tom Jackson presents Randy Gradishar for Enshrinement

[@calicojack3628]

Had he played in Pittsburgh or Dallas he would have been in the HOF decades ago.

[@cmc5394oparva]

Yeah, he'd have been a first ballot HOFer easy. Denver was considered football Siberia back then.

[@benjamingates3695]

No doubt…I’ve been a Bronco/RedSox fan (long story) my whole life, and I was on the same soup box for Jim Rice as I was for Randy and just as happy when it finally happened. Plus he has a HOF football name.

[@dennisbloomquist9220]

During every year of Gradishar's career, there is NO GM in the NFL who would not have taken Randy Gradishar over the Jacks, Lambert or Ham.

[@quann06]

They did Drew Pearson dirty too. I wasn’t alive in the 70’s or watched enough film, but judging off of Drew’s numbers he should have been in the Hall.

[@mikearndt2217]

Yep

[@thestarisalie]

FINALLY! THE MILE HIGH CITY AND CANTON OHIO SALUTE YOU 53!

[@EscapeTheMatrix3h5fi]

Long long overdue! So glad he got in while he's still here!! ❤

[@JBBooks-qv2kp]

Long overdue!

[@jacobreyes5357]

#53! Orange Crush! Well deserved Randy!

[@bobbynesbitt1863]

Awesome 😎

[@EricJohnson-cm3dv]

Go Randy G. GOD BLESS

[@kenmartin1675]

I sent an email to Paul Zimmerman (Dr Z from Sports Illustrated, who happened to be a HOF voter) one time, probably around 25 years ago, asking why Gradishar was not in the HOF, and he said that Denver statisticians were notorious for padding stats. He said Gradishar's tackle numbers were highly inflated. He also said there were many other more deserving middle linebackers not yet in. I told him he was wrong and that if you ever watched him play, you knew he was one of the very best, if not the best, to ever play the game. I don't know anything about stat-padding, or even why that would be a thing? Why would this be up to local statisticians? Watching Gradishar play defense was a thing of beauty, and his goal-line presence was better than any other. I'm so happy for him to have finally made it to the HOF! As others here are saying, if he played for Dallas or Pittsburgh, or in a bigger market, he would have been a first-ballot inductee. This whole thing proves that the HOF voting process is highly flawed. The media should not have any control whatsoever in the process.

[@thebeebyboys1751]

there were local statisticians, fantasy football didn't exist yet, and there were padded numbers. It would be pretty easy to go watch a game in 1981 for example and see that he had 4 solo tackles but was credited with 20. Ill leave that discovery to you, but there are lots of Gradishar era games on KZbin. As someone that has followed individual defensive statistic for 30+ years, averaging 200 tackles a year in 14 games is stat padding. There are maybe 2 150+ tackles a season, and this guy averaged 200+ and had Louis Wright, Steve Foley Rulon Jones and Tom Jackson on his team...BS... There are only 50 plays a game in those years. They were giving 53 a tackle when he smelled the pile. 20 tackles a game would mean that I never saw Tom Jackson or Steve Foley make a tackle. Life long Bronco fan, met RG in 3rd grade awesome dude...but no way he averaged 200+ tackles a year.

[@joshtobin2872]

That’s interesting to hear that about Dr Z, as he thought Rich Jackson of the Broncos was the best defensive end of all time.

[@craigroeser181]

Randy Gradishar and Tom Jackson two class acts and great players for the Denver Broncos! The fans owe you a debt of gratitude for all the amazing memories that you two and the other great members of the Orange Crush defense gave us week in and week out for all those years! Thank you!

[@jonathantrauner3742]

How MLBs must play pro football. Congrats Randy

[@Fireyninjadog]

I'm so happy he's finally in

[@RetroRider6689]

"He'll be in the Pro Football Hall of Fame someday." - Seahawks head coach Chuck Knox on Randy Gradishar (December 1983).

[@Fireyninjadog]

RIP chuck

[@benjaminb3295]

Glad to see him get in.

[@briandunn4166]

Tom Jackson and Louis Wright next. Riley Odoms was the best TE of the era. He needs a jacket too.

[@thebeebyboys1751]

He should have gotten in because someone was on the Broncos, and someone was on the Broncos when they went to a Superbowl 8 times and someone was on the team when they won three times. That is all you have to do to be in the HoF if you play for one of the franchises that has been to that many Superbowls. some dudes on your team need to get in. The Broncos have been woefully under represented in Canton for a team that represents as much NFL championship history are the Broncos have. He also won a Defensive MVP.

[@jaylucien669]

2000+ career tackles over a 10yr career. Wow!

[@julsc2106]

He is the all time leader is tackles it wont ever be broken

[@jeepduder]

Great player and even better human! Praise Jesus! 😇

[@Vjl5280]

It’s about time.

[@buzzledoux7572]

Yeah Randy!

[@dennisbloomquist9220]

My Dad and I were there for all of it, every sunday, 26 rows up at the 35-yard line in the east stands at Mile High Stadium. Gradishar, Jackson, Swenson & Rizzo. The linebackers of The Orange Crush Defense. Randy Gradishar, HALL OF FAME, baby!

[@thumbojr1235]

I wasn’t fortunate enough to be alive at the time he played for Denver, but he was and still is one of my dad’s favorite players.

[@dougbodenhamer9391]

Congrats! It's about time. This guy should have been in decades ago. Finally, your time came! Enjoy the hell out of it.

[@tylersparkman2672]

Randy took my fav Marcus Allen for loss wow this man amazing as raider fan seem a lot of him

[@stephenmauriellomortgage]

The most underrated MLB in NFL history. Was every bit as good, if not better than Lambert, Singletary, and R Lewis. And nobody except hardcore Boomer and Gen X football fans know it. Fortunately I’m a hardcore Gen X football fan and I know it.

[@thebeebyboys1751]

Lambert was also big and slow but played behind hall of fame tackles, Singletary was also undersized but played behind hall of fame tackles. R Lewis was a safety playing MB, if you look he had his best years were behind 375 pound tackles and in front of Ed Reed. These guy are all over rated, so this is a poor argument for why Gradishar should have gotten in. I think he is worse that all those guys, and I think all those guys are over rated. I think 53 gets in because you cannot tell the story of the late 70s without mentioning a guy that won defensive MVP

[@stephenmauriellomortgage]

@@thebeebyboys1751 Your lack of football knowledge is really embarrassing. I stopped reading halfway through because I felt myself getting dumber.

[@rolandlymangrover754]

Thanks, Tom. You're next. Thanks, Randy.

[@brettfavreify]

Overdue.

[@aldenmclure2969]

What took so long

[@96tolife]

Well deserved, but he waited far too long. Tom Jackson deserves his call as well. So many Broncos are ignored by the HOF. It's a shame. Do better.

[@jesseleblanc1199]

The crime here is this taking this long .......if he wasn't in who would qualified ahead of him .....those numbers dont lie

[@jamiepasquariello2652]

Broncos have been neglected forever. Atwater should of been in 15 years ago

[@shannynwells2068]

It is a travesty that he had to wait this long.

[@eb2957]

I'm sorry. It's been 46 years since his prime? No he doesn't deserve to be in the Hall of Fame.

[@jrg2010]

Yeah he should have been in earlier according to most football experts and historians from that era. He went to 7 pro bowls in 10 years and was DPOY in 1978. First or second team all pro selections in five different seasons. Glad to see him get his due. Go Broncos!

[@johnb.2006]

If you seriously don't think Randy deserves to be in the HOF, you're a 🤡🤡

[@lesschoenberger3070]

Rewatch and re listen to this video again, if you would've seen him play you'd agree that he should've been in there MANY years ago it's just that these yo yos didn't vote him in. 200 tackles a year in a 14 game season, games where he made 20 solo tackles in a game? That and he was one of the best ever at stopping touchdowns on goal line stands, yes he deserves to be in and deserved to be voted in a LONG time ago...

[@rovolutionary]

he should have been inducted decades ago. There is a voting bias in HOF against players who played in smaller markets. Tom Jackson and Louis Wright (his former orange crush teammates) should also be in HOF

[@johnb.2006]

@@rovolutionary agree 1000% especially on Tom Jackson. I can't figure out why he's not in the HOF